What game is PNG playing in the return of Dr Jack Siwainao’s daughters?
MERCY and her sister CINDERELLA are Solomon Islands citizens, according to the PNG Family Court hearing in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG).
The ruling was handed down on 9 June 2024 by a Family Court Judge who heard an application for full custody of the two girls by a senior PNG government official, Joshua Himina, the District Administrator for Telifomin in West Sepik Province.
According to the record of the hearing, the case was struck out because the judge found that both girls “are Solomon Islanders, not Papua New Guineans”.
Dr. Siwainao – Solomon Islands’ top-notch gynecologists – has been fighting tooth and nail for the safe return of her daughters, often engaging top politicians and officials at every opportunity.
The wait is taking a toll on the man. But he vowed to spare nothing in order to bring her daughters’ home.
The role of the PNG Social and Child Welfare in the case is intriguing.
According to Dr Siwainao, Mr Himina was represented in court by a representative of the PNG Social and Child Welfare Service, presenting questionable evidence in court in support of Mr Himina’s application for full custody of the girls.
“The case was struck out by the judge having found my children are Solomon Islanders, not Papua New Guineans. That should have been more than enough for appropriate authorities to make the necessary arrangements for my daughters to return home,” Dr Siwainao said.
Mary Walenenea who worked at the Solomon Islands High Commission in Port Moresby until December last year 2024 briefed Dr Siwainao on her return to Honiara.
“She was the one who accompanied my lawyer, the Transnational Crime Police and PNG Immigration officials to the PNG Family Court in Port Moresby. All the information she gave me during our meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade in Honiara on 11/03/25 was very accurate. Ms Walenenea was the one who dealt with my daughters’ case, not the High Commissioner, William Soaki.”
She told me not to trust my daughters’ maternal family because the sworn statements they have signed were in support of Joshua Himina taking custody of my daughters.”
That was not all.
“There was a disturbing sworn statement signed by my former mother-in-law who stayed with us in Honiara for 9 years, late Grace’s mother. That was in support of Joshua Himina, keeping my daughters. It was alleged that I beat up my mother-in-law and she became unconscious. When she woke up, I was the one standing there,” he said.
“This didn’t go down well with me (because I fed her) for 9 years in my house in Honiara. Even my mum came to my house, she treated her like a visitor. She was the boss of my house. Then time hem go back lo PNG liar about me?
“That alleged incident never happened. I think Joshua made it up. I don’t know if the mother-in-law actually read the statement before signing it,” Dr Siwainao said.
He said it was based on these questionable “claims and lies” that my children could not come home.
“Joshua really thinks he can steal my children from me. He should really find a woman and make his own children, and leave my children alone,” he said.
Earlier this year, Dr Siwainao received a series of phone calls. The first came in at 6:48pm on Saturday 22 February 2025.
“I was informed that my daughters were about to land at Jackson’s International Airport, Port Moresby, flying in from Telifomin, where they were held by Joshua Himina, their step-father.
Since February 22 this year, Mercy and Cinderella – Dr Siwainao’s daughters – have been locked up in a Port Moresby hotel, literally being held against their will. Is it the way to treat minors?
Dr Siwainao also received two other phone calls the next day – one from the Prime Minister’s Office the other from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.
“Both confirmed to me that, my daughters were being held by PNG Immigration and would be repatriated to Honiara soon. It was the best news he has received in three years of fighting for their return.
Encouraged by the good news, Dr Siwainao enrolled Mercy and Cinderella at the Woodford International School in Honiara to start class on 17th March this year.
On 24 February this year, Dr Siwainao was contacted by his daughters’ maternal family, “asking me to authorize PNG Immigration to hand over my daughters to them.”
The request was denied.
“On 27 February 2025, I sent an email to the Chief Migration Officer of Papua New Guinea, asking him not to hand my children over to their late mother’s side of the family. I received no reply or an update”.
Dr Siwainao who had meticulously recorded the events, wrote to his daughters’ maternal family to leave his daughters “in the hands of the PNG authorities. And that I want my daughters to leave PNG ASAP, and return to Honiara, according to the email he sent on 01 March 2025.
“I expressed to them that if they had taken custody of my daughters after their mum passed on, on 10/09/2022, I would not have any problems with that.
“I really have an issue with them, neglecting my children – leaving them in the care of a person not related to them by blood. I really wondered why they have become silent over the past three years when I fought through all processes to regain custody of my children. They expected them to reach out to me a long time ago. Not now, when I am reaching the end of my long fight,” Dr Siwainao said.
On 11/03/25, I emailed the First Secretary of the Papua New Guinea High Commission in Honiara, asking about the fate of my daughters. On 13/03/25, she replied, saying, that the Mission has not received the latest information regarding Dr Siwainao’s daughters.
In response, the First Secretary of the PNG High Commission in Honiara said it would “reach out to Headquarters and will revert when information is received. The High Commission has never responded – raising questions about the behavior of PNG officials in the matter.
In a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Honiara on 11 March this year, “I was informed there was a conflict. The PNG Social and Child Welfare Service “is of the opinion that it (is)not safe for my daughters to return to me, based on Joshua Himina’s claim that it is not safe for my daughters to return to me, claiming that I am a violent person, incapable of taking care of my children”.
“The Social and Child Welfare Service (in PNG) should be an independent organisation. Why are they taking sides with Mr Himina, whose application for full custody has been thrown out?
“What right do they have over my children who are born Solomon Islanders? And what right does Mr Himina have over my children? Who gave him (that) right?
I have read Joshua Himina’s affidavits for the court hearing. He claimed that I am violent and psychotic.
“I am surprised that the PNG Social and Child Welfare Service never sent the police or Social Welfare to verify his claims prior to the court hearing.
That same afternoon (11/03/25), a meeting was held between our Foreign Affairs, PMO, Immigration and Police.
A week later (16/03/25), our Police Commissioner, Mostyn Mangau, and Director of Immigration, Chris Akosawa, travelled to PNG to attend the Pacific Security Meeting.
“They were tasked to meet with PNG Immigration to facilitate the return of my daughters. They found out that the delay was due to the (false) claim that it is not safe for my daughters to return to me.
In desperation to clear his name, Dr Siwainao on Thursday 20/03/25, went through police clearance and assessment at Rove Police Headquarters. As part of this assessment, the Solomon Islands Social Welfare also visited his clinic and residence and Lunga on the outskirt of east Honiara.
“They interviewed me, mum and those who have lived with me here for the past 14 years. My residence was also assessed. These two reports were sent to PNG Immigration in Port Moresby.
The PNG Immigration is yet to make its decision based on these reports.
“I expect the PNG Immigration to at least give me an update because I am Mercy and Cinderella’s father. What is the benefit of keeping my children in a hotel for the past 5 weeks? How more inhumane can this get? These are minors. They have already been through a lot. Keeping them like this is not helping at all.
“I am their father and they should be returned to me ASAP, just simple as that.”
By Alfred Sasako
